Kings Dominion sets minimum wage at $13 for seasonal workers

Kings Dominion, the Doswell amusement park, has set its minimum wage for seasonal employees at $13 per hour, it announced Thursday. Previously, the base wage was $9.25.

The park, owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., expects to hire 2,100 seasonal workers before reopening May 22, and it also is hiring 80 new full-time positions with benefits and wages starting at $16 an hour in culinary and operations roles.

Last year, Kings Dominion did not open for its regular season for the first time in its 45-year history, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It began hosting small, physically distanced events late last year, though. The park plans to host an in-person, distanced hiring event on April 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but applicants can apply online as well.

This will be Bridgette Bywater’s first season as vice president and general manager of Kings Dominion. In a statement, Bywater said, “A seasonal job at our park can offer so much more. You can gain valuable experience in a safe environment, develop marketable skills for the future, and make new friends while being part of something truly special. And, just as I started out in a seasonal role, our seasonal associates have the opportunity to be rehired for jobs all the way through college and beyond.”